With his Old Trafford future hanging in the balance, Rooney should have been careful what he wished for with 'top players' demand

Two-and-a-half years on from the last time Wayne Rooney's career at Old Trafford looked as though it was drawing to a close, he's standing at the crossroads again.

Then, in an astonishing and shameless display of arrogance, he tried to engineer a move away, saying he would snub any contract offers because United could no longer attract the biggest names.

In his bombshell statement of October 2010, he referred to a meeting with chief executive David Gill - 'I asked for assurances about the continued ability of the club to attract the top players in the world.'

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No way back: After being omitted from Manchester United's starting XI for the match with Real Madrid, Wayne Rooney's Old Trafford career is surely drawing to a close

The silence was deafening, or the reply at least unconvincing.

The moral of this dramatic and unedifying episode, looking back at it now, is that Wayne should have been careful what he wished for.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge Rooney tried to burn back in 2010 - he's won another Premier League title and reached another Champions League final, he's scored some sensational goals and experienced more tournament heartache with England.

But unfortunately for Rooney, United did continue to attract the top players in the world, and it because of one of them that he is no longer needed at Manchester United.

Go! With Robin van Persie, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez at his disposal, Ferguson may see Rooney as surplus to requirements

Sir Alex Ferguson once said that even a half-fit Rooney would be the first name on his teamsheet for the biggest matches. Now, he doesn't even make the cut.

His absence from the team against Real Madrid the other night was an ominous Ferguson hint not only that he can't take his starting place for granted, but that he's no longer required full stop.

David Beckham, Roy Keane and Ruud van Nistelrooy, all omitted by Ferguson in crucial games just prior to their departure from the club, will be able to recognise the signs.

The purchase of Robin van Persie last summer, one of the 'top players' Rooney yearned for, means it's no longer essential that he plays.

Sensational: The form of summer signing Robin van Persie this season has rendered Rooney less essential to United's team

Back in 2010, Ferguson indulged and forgave him with a lucrative five-year contract, but now Rooney's words have finally caught up with him.

More worrying is that the manager clearly sees 22-year-old Danny Welbeck, still far from the finished article, as the future. Javier Hernandez too.

The fact that United were eliminated from the Champions League in the absence of Rooney (for most of the second leg) is unlikely to affect Ferguson's thinking and a £20m price tag has apparently been agreed for the summer.

The Scot obviously doubts Rooney's discipline to keep on top of his weight and is running out of patience over his attitude.

There's bound to be plenty of interest in such a bargain, from within England, the European elite and Manchester.

United, meanwhile, will move quickly to replace him with someone like Robert Lewandowski - undoubtedly another 'top player.'

The tragedy for Rooney is that he's currently in some of the most devastating form of his career.

If you combine Premier League and Champions League matches, Rooney has scored or set-up 24 goals in 26 appearances.

He has scored 18 goals for club and country this season and has been in a real purple patch since the start of December, powering United's title surge at a time when Van Persie has dropped off a little.

It's telling that the arrival of the Dutchman has changed Rooney's role - he's on course for the highest number of assists in his United career, but one of his lowest goal returns.

The arrival of the 'top player' has pushed him into a secondary role which has been more about supplying ammunition than firing it.

Second chance: Rooney signed a new five-year contract in October 2010 after demanding a move away

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It's a similar consistency of assists to the 2006-2009 period, when he played second fiddle to Cristiano Ronaldo.

His statement of 2010 continues: 'Despite recent difficulties, I know I will always owe Sir Alex Ferguson a huge debt. For Manchester United's sake I wish he could go on forever because he's a one-off and a genius.'

After these latest 'difficulties', it's Rooney's United career that won't be going on forever.

Opta stats on Wayne Rooney's season-by-season contribution at Old Trafford